ERIC BERNE (1910-1970)

Transactional Analysis is the method for studying interactions between individuals.

Real Name : Eric Leonard Bernstein
Birthdate : May 10, 1910
Birthplace : Montreal Quebec, Canada
Died : July 15, 1970
Father : David Hillel Bernstein, MD
Occupation : General practitioner
Mother : Sarah Gordon Bernstein
Occupation : a professional writer and editor
Sibling/s : Grace Bernstein
• He was married thrice , and was divorced twice in his
whole life
o Ruth – Ellen & Peter
o Dorothy de Mass Way (divorcee) - Ricky and Terry
o Torre Peterson Rosenkrantz
• In 1947, he began to work with Erik Erikson for two years.
• The origins of transactional analysis can be traced to the
first three of Berne’s six articles on intuition, which he
began writing in 1949.
• "Intuition V: The Ego Image
• "Ego States in Psychotherapy,”
• "Transactional Analysis: A New and Effective Method of Group
Therapy,"
 Eric Berne wrote eight major books in his lifetime:
The Mind in Action (1947)
A Layman's Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis (1957)
Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy (1961)
Structure and Dynamics of Organizations and
Groups (1963)
Games People Play (1964)
Principles of Group Treatment (1966)
Sex in Human Loving (1970)
What Do You Say After You Say Hello (1971)
 In addition, two anthologies of his work have been published:
Beyond Games and Scripts (1976)
Intuition and Ego States (1977)
 a philosophy, a point of view about human beings.
 It is a theory of personality, of psychical function and
interpersonal behavior, so it is a theory of communication as
well.
 it is a creative and powerful instrument used to facilitate
the change and development at personal and professional
level, having applications in four fundamental areas:
 conciliation,
 education,
 organizational
 and clinical.
 The counseling specialization is chosen by professionals working in
such diverse contexts as social welfare, health care, pastoral work,
prevention, mediation, process facilitation, multicultural work, and
humanitarian activities, to name a few.
 Educational transactional analysis is used by practitioners working
in training centers, preschools, elementary and high schools,
universities, and institutions that prepare teachers and trainers as
well as in support of learners of all ages to thrive within their
families, organizations, and communities.
 Organizational transactional analysts work in, or for, organizations
using transactional analysis concepts and techniques to evaluate an
organization’s developmental processes and challenges as well as its
dysfunctional behaviors.
 Psychotherapists utilize transactional analysis to facilitate their
clients’ capacities for self-actualization and healing by learning to
recognize and change old, self-limiting patterns.
 Ego States
 Transactions
 Life Position
 Strokes
 Games People Play
 Life Scripts
 BERNE’S
• Parent St
• Adult Sta
• Child Sta
Ego State- a consistent pattern of feeling and experience directly
related to a corresponding consistent pattern of behavior.
It is the reflex of the received education, which impress upon
the childhood and adolescence, continuing to act on the adult,
too. The transmitted values refer to:

• Good and evil;

• What you must do and what you mustn’t do;
• Beliefs;
• Professional fulfilment;
• Marriage;
• Traditions etc.
The Parent state divides in:

• The Controlling parent, with reference to the social norms

and evaluation methods.
- Positive Controlling Parent
- Negative Controlling Parent

• The Nurturing (or the protector) is the one who protects,

comforts and encourage.
- Positive Nurturing Parent
- Negative Nurturing Parent
The Positive Controlling Parent (PCP).

It is the parent who gives orders and sets limits, checking if they are
respected.

E.g.: “ Go to bed, you have to get up early tomorrow!”

“Finish wolfing or you’ll make an indigestion”
“ Go and say hello to the neighbour!”
“ You don’t have to say lies!”

In both cases the conduct is strict and the sight is cold and dominating. The
voice is sharp and rough.

Advantages: it sends moral principles facilitating the individual integration

in his social environment.
Disadvantages: his rigidity can inhibit and censor creativity and imagination.
The Negative Controlling Parent (NCP)

It is the parent who underestimates the child.

E.g. :
“ You don’t know to do anything!”
“It is not the right way to do it!”
“ At your age I used to get better results than
yours!”…
The Positive Nurturing Parent (PNP)

It is the parent who helps, gives advise and looks after his child, respecting
his autonomy.
E.g.:
“It’s dangerous this way, wait till I’ll teach you something safer”
“Today it’s quite cold, you’d better put on something”.

From a physical point of view, the gestures are generous and open. The
voice is soft, sweet and comforting.

Advantages: it creates favourable conditions for a natural and secure

development of the child.

Disadvantages: the hyper-protection can suffocate and inhibit any

initiative.
The Negative Nurturing Parent (NNP).

It is the exaggerated nurturing parent, becoming hyper-protector

and blocking the child natural development.

E.g.:
“I’ll do the job in your place, so nothing might happen to you”
“ That friend is not good for you”.
here the education assimilated through his own
experience is registered, by attempt and error. Here,
the experiences are transformed into thoughts, he can
be see what is pro or against, and decisions are made.
It is the rational component.

The Adult represents the use of discrimination,

reasoning, evaluation, data analysis, use of logic,
ability to observe objectively and correctly

The adult state usually activates when the person

wants to solve a problem, to decide objectives, to
assume responsibility, to make a decision, wants
evaluation of some results etc
 The characteristic of the adult state consists in receiving a series of information
in
order to put together and to develop it in a logical, rational and objective way.

The typical phrases are:

“ It is possible to…”
“I think that….”
“ We conclude that…”

Their sight is direct and neutral

. The body posture: straight and relaxed.
The voice is normal and neutral. The tone is clear but inexpressive.

The advantages of this state: the information is elaborated logically and

objectively.

Disadvantages: it can become cold and emotionless, he disturbs when a

spontaneous solution is required, he can curb in situations which cannot be
at this level, inner events are registered – feelings
lived as a response to exterior events, from birth and
up to the age of 5. It is the emotional component. It
appears to the adult in leisure activities.

the child ego state appears when we have to deal with

the expressing of spontaneity, of feelings, desires,
intentions and hopes, emotions.

Due to C we can savour life, feel spontaneous,

imaginative, creative, longing for friends, we can act
spontaneously, timorously and revolted, but we adapt
to the requirements of the environment.
For each of these situations we can distinguish models such as:

Adapted child
- the docile child, obedient and who always behave according to the expectations
of those around him. He submits and executes the orders received.

E.g.: ‘Excuse me if I bother you, I’ve brought you what you wanted’
‘I’d rather have some coffee, but if you cannot, it is not so important, anyway’;
‘I’m sorry! Can I…..’.

The adapted child accepts the rules of the group, quiet and reserved. His voice is sweet and
moderated. The tone is balanced and hesitating.

Advantages: respecting the norms, social values are consolidated

Disadvantages: the excessive docility is the cause of indecision and doubt.
Rebellious Child
It is characterized by a series of negative and polemical manifestations:
aggressiveness, wants to be in the center of attention by saying ‘no’, the
undiscriminating opposition.
E.g.: ‘I’m not in the mood right now!’
‘ I don’t need you, I can manage by myself ’
‘Leave me alone!’.

The gestures are sudden and from time to time violent; the voice is lively and
furious.

Advantages: he protects himself against the authority of somebody else and

against of power abuse.
Disadvantages: the communication with the outside can be interrupted
 The little teacher
– he is the center of creativity and invention. The individual proves to be curious of
knowledge and of understanding and tries to solve all the problems that might appear. He trusts in his
own
capacity and he is always convinced he found the best solution.

E.g.: ‘ I have an amazing idea’

‘ who knows how it functions, I’m in the mood for disassembling!’
‘ If you do it this way you’ll succeed with no doubt’.

The sight is lively and bright. He often destroys in order to understand a mechanism. His voice is
seductive and meditative. He expresses himself tempestuous.

Advantages: the creative and artistic activity is stimulated.

Disadvantages: bewilderment with risk of superficiality.
The Spontaneuous Child

– is the expression of enthusiasm, mania, fear, discouragement. The

individual has desires, needs, satisfactions, dissatisfactions.

E.g.: He’s ranting!’

‘Wow, tonight we’re going to do crazy things…’;
‘I’m hungry, buy a cake for me!’.

He uses his body for expressing himself, he doesn’t have too much
bashfulness and acts freely. His voice is energetic; the tone is adapted to the
situation: laughs, screams, cries.

Advantages: spontaneity and energy; pleasure and enthusiasm.

Disadvantages: lack of control can be harmful in some situations.
transaction – the fundamental unit of social intercourse.
when a partner proposes a certain type of communication and the other one respond. Thus, a
chain of transactions is created, in which one’s response represents the stimulus of the other one.
- - the double transaction (hidden) – when the conversation does not take place on a single level,
the declared one, called apparent, it is accompanied by a message hidden at a psychological, non-
verbal or para-verbal level. Almost any kind of transaction requires a social and a psychological
level. Most part of them superpose. The distinct analyses of each transaction, from a chain of any
kind of length, is called transactional analysis.
when the transactional vectors stay parallel, and the state of the ego related to the vector
stimulus is the one from which the vector response leaves from. In this case the communication
can continue freely no matter for how long, as long as this state of vectors parallelism is
maintained. In the complementary transaction we respond to the interlocutor from the state he
required.
Examples:
An adult to adult transaction might look like this:
Person 1: What time is it?
Person II: It is 7 o'clock

A child to-child transaction would involve more playfulness:

Person I: let's go play with Shoib
Person II: Yes, We could have lots of fun with him!
·
A parent to parent transaction, however, would be
more nurturing or critical
Person I: You never do anything right
Person II: that's because you're always finding fault with my work
The cross transactions in which the vectors of the transaction cross, and the state of the ego
targeted by the stimulus is not the same with the one the response leaves from. In this case the
thread and the fluency of the conversation break and for its restoration one or both partners are
needed in order to change the state of the ego;
when the conversation does not take place on a single level, the declared one, called apparent, it
is accompanied by a message hidden at psychological level, non-verbal or para-verbal. In this
type of transactions, beside the explicit message – direct verbal stimulus, hidden messages are
also transmitted – at emotional, non-verbal level. It always involves at least two states from the
three described previously. The apparent message is often directed from Adult to Adult, while the
psychological message is given by the Parent or by the Child.
The 1st rule of communication, after Berne: ‘as long as the transactions stay
parallel, the communication can continue unlimited.

The 2nd rule of communication, after Berne: ‘When a transaction is crossed,

the communication is interrupted’.

The 3rd rule of communication after Berne: ‘The behaviour which appeared
as a consequence of the hidden transactions is determined at a psychological
level and not social’.
 In the process of growing up, people make basic assumptions about
themselves and others.

 Very early in childhood a person develops from experience a

dominant philosophy. Such philosophy is tied into his identity, sense
of worth, and perception of other people.

 This tends to remain with the person for lifetime unless major
experience occur to change it. Such positions are called life positions.
 I am OK, You are OK (we both have value)
 I am OK, You are not OK (I have value but you don't
have)
 I am not OK, You are OK (you have value but I do not
have)
 I am not OK, You are not OK (neither person have value)
I am OK, you are OK:
It appears to be an ideal life position. People with this type of life position
have confidence in themselves as well as trust and confidence in others.

I am OK, you are not OK:

This is a distrustful psychological positions. This is the attitude of those
people, who think that whatever they do is correct.

I am not OK, you are OK

This is a common position for those people who feel power less when they
compare themselves to others.

I am not OK, you are not OK:

people in this position tend to feel bad about themselves and see the whole
world as miserable. They do not trust others and have no confidence in
themselves.
stroke – A stroke is a unit of attention which provides stimulation to an individual”.
(Woollams and Brown: Transactional Analysis 1978)
• A stroke is a unit of recognition.

• Positive strokes (compliments, praise) satisfy most.

• Negative strokes (criticism, ridicule) are more

satisfying than no strokes at all.

• Many workers have become recalcitrant because they

were ignored at work and got no strokes at all.

• Many marriages are threatened after a few years,

because each spouse takes the other for granted and
does not provide strokes.
Recognition Hunger

• As grownups, we learn to substitute

other forms of recognition in place of
physical touching.

• A smile, a compliment, frown or insult

– all shows our existence has been
recognized.

• Berne used to term recognition hunger

to describe our need for this kind of
acknowledgement from others.
TYPES OF STROKES
Verbal or Non Verbal

• Any transaction is an exchange

of strokes.

• Most transactions involve both

verbal and non verbal
exchanges.

• They may be wholly non

verbal.

• It is difficult to imagine a
transaction which is purely
verbal.
Internal or external

INTERNAL - fantasies, self

praise, and other forms of self
stimulation.

EXTERNAL- strokes from others

are important for healthy living.
Positive or Negative

• A positive stroke is one which the

receiver experiences as pleasant.

• A negative stroke is one experienced

as painful.

• Any kind of stroke is better than no

stroke at all.
Conditional or Unconditional

• A conditional stroke relates to what

you do.

• An unconditional stroke relates to

what you are.

• Positive conditional.
• Positive unconditional.
• Negative conditional.
• Negative Unconditional
• A stroke is satisfying and is therefore a reward. Like any other reward,
strokes also, if given indiscreetly, may misdirect.

• One must not provide a positive stroke at the time of an undesirable

behavior.

• All the rules about providing recognition apply to the use of strokes.

• Strokes reassure, provide confirmation of value of individuals,

communicate about desirable and undesirable behaviours.

• Celebrations of successes, recognition of birthdays, mention in house

bulletins, appreciation of laurels earned by members of the family,
competition, incentives etc., are all variations of positive strokes aimed
to attain high levels of satisfaction and motivation among employees
and even dealers
• When people fail to get enough strokes at work they try a variety of
things.
• One of the most important thing is that they play psychological games.

• A psychological game is a set of transaction with three characteristics:

- The transaction tend to be repeated.
- They make sense on superficial or social level.
- One or more transactions is ulterior.
• Games keep people safe from exposing their thoughts and feelings.

• Game players are losers because they avoid meaningful and healthy
human interactions
Types of games:
• A first degree game is one which is socially acceptable in the agent’s
circle.

• A second degree game is one which more intimate end up with bad
feelings.

• A third degree game is one which usually involve physical injury.

• These are psychological games and are played quite spontaneously.
They provide satisfactions to the players, which are called pay-offs.

Games have hidden agendas. The player is aiming at a certain outcome,

which is not obvious to the uninitiated. They tend to be repetitive.

• Games prevent honest, intimate and open relationships. Yet people play
them because they fill up time, often provoke attention, and fulfil a
sense of identity.

• Games help you to feel that ones problems are created by others
misdemeanours.
Examples of games players are:

• The Persecutor:
"if it weren't for you", "see what you made me do", "yes,
but".

• The Rescuer:
"I'm only trying to help", "what would you do without me?"

• The Victim:
"this always happens to me", "poor old me", "go on, kick me".
• A life script is an unconscious life plan based on decisions made in early
childhood about ourselves, others, and our lives.
• Life scripts are based on interpretations of external events
and determine how one interacts with others.

 Permissions and injunctions refer to positive and negative messages to

a child. Positive messages
(Permissions) do not limit people

 Negative (injunctions) may become destructive scripts,

unless a person makes conscious efforts to overcome them.
Many parental injunctions refers to don'ts, shoulds, ought not, etc.
During the early years of development, one learns about one’s worth
as a person and one’s place in life. Later, scripting occurs in direct as
well as indirect ways in a family, for example, such messages as the
following may be picked up:

“In this family, the man is the boss of the house.”

“Children are to be seen but not heard.”
“We always expect the best from you.”
“The way you are, you’ll never amount to a hill of beans.”
“Never question our authority, and strive to be respectful and
obedient.”
Because the lifescript forms the core of a person’s identity and destiny, life
experiences may lead the person to conclude, on one hand,

“I’m really dumb because nothing I do ever turns out right. I suppose I’ll
always be stupid”

or, on the other hand,

“I can do almost anything that I really decide I want to do. I know I can
attain my goals if I channel my efforts in a direction I want to go.”
 Primary goals of TA focus on helping clients transform themselves
from "frogs" into "princes and princesses".
 It is not enough that persons learn to adjust, as in psychoanalysis.
Instead, the emphasis is on attaining health and autonomy.
 Counselors help their clients identify and restore distorted
or damaged ego states.
 A major emphasis of TA is on
learning about the self in order to decide who one wishes to become.
Techniques
• Treatment contract: a specific, concrete contract that emphasizes agreed upon responsibiliti
es for both counselors and clients.
• Interrogation: speaking to
a client's adult state until the counselor receives an adult response.
• Explanation: occurs on an adult-to-
adult ego state level. The counselor teaches the client about some aspects of TA.
• Illustration: Enlightens the client or elaborates a point.
• Confirmation: Used when previously modified behavior occurs again and the counselor
points this out to the client.
• Interpretation: involves the counselor's explanation to the child ego state of
the client the reasons for the client's behavior.
• Crystallization: Consists of an adult-to-adult transaction in which the client comes to
an awareness that individual game playing may be given up if so desired.
• Confrontation: involves the counselor's pointing out inconsistencies in
the client's behavior or speech.
Almost all the techniques in TA involve some combination of
questioning confrontation and dialogue.
The following are among the questions most frequently asked by
TA counselors.
 What are the nicest and worst things your parents ever said to you?
 What is your earliest memory?
 What is the family story about your birth?
 What is your favorite fairy tale, story, or songs?
 How would you describe your mother and father?
 How long do you expect to live?
 The approach uses terms that are easily understood and clearly defi
ned.
 The approach is easily and collectively
combined with other more action-oriented approaches.
 The approach puts the responsibility of change on the client.
 The approach is goal-directed
 Improved interpersonal communication.
 The approach has been criticized for its primary cognitive orientation.
 The approach is criticized for its simplicity, structure, and popularity.
 The research behind the approach is relatively weak.
 The approach has not developed much since Berne's death in 1970
TA therapist believe that past life events ( things that happened maybe in childhood) hold the
key to understanding what our present difficulties are . This is known in TA therapy as
the presenting past.

Transactional Analysis is used to explore a range of issues, including relationship issues,

depression, low self-esteem, anxiety disorders and panic disorders.
 Transactional analysis is frequently applied in the areas of medicine, communications,
education, and business management as well as therapy. The mainstream appeal of this
technique has attracted parents, professionals, social workers, and others who strive to
achieve maximum personal development. Transactional analysis is considered to be one
effective method of enhancing relationships with oneself and with others.
 Studies show that transactional analysis, often used by counselors and clinicians to address
issues currently faced by the person in treatment, can be an effective tool in the treatment of
emotional and relationship difficulties that may develop as a result of chronic health
challenges.
 Transactional analysis is used widely in the educational arena, and this method can serve as
a vessel through which educational principles and philosophy can be incorporated into the
daily lives of students. This type of therapy can be administered to children and adults of all
ages, regardless of social circumstances.
Transactional Analysis is suitable for a wide range of issues, for example:

 Abortion  Pre and Post Natal Depression (Male and

Female)
 Abuse
 Family Issues
 Anger Management
 Low self confidence
 Anxiety
 Low self esteem
 Attachment Issues
 Relationship Issues
 Bereavement & Loss
 Self Harm
 Change and Transitions
 Sexuality
 Couples Counselling/Psychotherapy
 Stress
 Depression
 Trauma
 http://megabyte.utm.ro/articole/2007/StiinteEconomice/Sem_2/4_SilviaPopescu_TRANSACTIONAL%20ANALYSIS.pd
f
 http://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/transactional-analysis
 Breton, Philiphe, The Word Manipulation, the European Institute, Iasi, 2005
 2.Cazacu, Slama Tatiana, Psycholinguistics – a Science of Communication, All Publishing House, Bucharest,
 1993.

 3. Chiru, Irena, the Interpersonal Communication, Triton Publishing House, Bucharest, 2003.
 4. Berne, Eric, Games people play, Amaltea Publishing House, Bucharest, 2003 5. Graur, Alexandru, Introduction to
Linguistics, the Scientific and Encyclopaedic Publishing House, Bucharest,
 1972.
 6.Popescu, Silvia, The Managerial Communication and Public Relations, Titu Maiorescu University Publishing
 House, Bucharest, 2007

 http://teachereducationguidanceandcounsellin.blogspot.com/2011/03/transactional-analysis.html